Richard Rounsaville, left, and his mother, Angela Mobley, practice martial arts techniques during last year's Korean Martial Arts Festival at Gordon Martial Arts in Crestview. The event returns to Crestview for the eighth year this weekend.

News Bulletin contributor

By MATTHEW BROWN / News Bulletin

Published: Tuesday, April 1, 2014 at 05:34 PM.

CRESTVIEW — Martial arts enthusiasts and instructors from around the country and abroad are heading here this weekend for the 2014 Korean Martial Arts Festival.

The three-day festival, hosted by Gordon Martial Arts, will feature instructors like Geoff Booth from Australia and Inwan Kim, grandmasters in Korean Martial Arts who have 10th-degree black belts.

Tom Gordon, the host school's owner, will be among 16 instructors teaching various Korean martial arts techniques including taekwondo and Hapkido, among others. In addition to networking, the festival allows enthusiasts to learn from each other in a positive environment, he said.

The festival has brought international attention to Crestview, earning praise from numerous national martial arts publications. In 2012, Black Belt Magazine named the event one of "10 Must Do Martial Arts events."

Last year, the TaeKwondo Times called it the "must-attend event of the year."

More than 100 participants are expected to participate in the Friday, Saturday and Sunday festival, which, for the first time, will take place at Warriors Hall Auditorium, Gordon said.

"We did previously have it at the (Gordon Martial Arts) school, but we outgrew it," Gordon said. "It's a good problem to have."

CRESTVIEW — Martial arts enthusiasts and instructors from around the country and abroad are heading here this weekend for the 2014 Korean Martial Arts Festival.

The three-day festival, hosted by Gordon Martial Arts, will feature instructors like Geoff Booth from Australia and Inwan Kim, grandmasters in Korean Martial Arts who have 10th-degree black belts.

Tom Gordon, the host school's owner, will be among 16 instructors teaching various Korean martial arts techniques including taekwondo and Hapkido, among others. In addition to networking, the festival allows enthusiasts to learn from each other in a positive environment, he said.

The festival has brought international attention to Crestview, earning praise from numerous national martial arts publications. In 2012, Black Belt Magazine named the event one of "10 Must Do Martial Arts events."

Last year, the TaeKwondo Times called it the "must-attend event of the year."

More than 100 participants are expected to participate in the Friday, Saturday and Sunday festival, which, for the first time, will take place at Warriors Hall Auditorium, Gordon said.

"We did previously have it at the (Gordon Martial Arts) school, but we outgrew it," Gordon said. "It's a good problem to have."